Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Current non-invasive tests for evaluating patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) have significant limitations for early detection and management of patients with PAD and are generally focused on the evaluation of large vessel disease. PAD often involves disease of microcirculation and altered metabolism. Therefore, there is a critical need for reliable quantitative non-invasive tools that can assess limb microvascular perfusion and function in the setting of PAD. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent developments in positron emission tomography (PET) imaging have enabled the quantification of blood flow to the lower extremities, the assessment of the viability of skeletal muscles, and the evaluation of vascular inflammation and microcalcification and angiogenesis in the lower extremities. These unique capabilities differentiate PET imaging from current routine screening and imaging methods. The purpose of this review is to highlight the promising role of PET in the early detection and management of PAD providing a summary of the current preclinical and clinical research related to PET imaging in patients with PAD and related advancement of PET scanner technology.